Howl's Moving Castle Fan Fiction ❯ Children of the Stars ❯ Chapter 3: The Other Son ( Chapter 3 )

Children of the Stars: Part II of the Wallmaker saga

Chapter 3: The Other Son

 

Six years later…

 

Thunder boomed outside the castle and rain pattered against the window pane. Markl gazed up at the gables overhead, watching the many wind chimes and mobiles spin and turn in the grey morning light. Lightning flashed again, sending a thrill of fear through his heart. However, he did not get up and run down the hallway to stand outside his master's bedroom, hoping that his mother would peek out to check on him.

As another crash of thunder shook the castle, the ginger-haired apprentice could hear the door next to his open and close as tiny feet pattered to stand in front of his room. There was a tiny knock as a small boy with thick black hair squeezed into the room and crept to stand by his bed.

“Brother? Are you awake?” Akarshan peeped in a frightened voice.

“It's only thunder, Shan. It can't hurt you.” Mark grumbled mildly as he peeked open an eyes and tried not to be annoyed with his little brother.

“Can I stay with you until mommy wakes up?”

“Shan, it's really early,” Markl groaned sleepily, “Why don't you go bother Granny? Sophie's probably up already, did you check?”

“Mommy's crying; she had the bad dream again. I don't want to make her sad,” his brother regarded him with large blue eyes soberly and Markl stared at him for a moment.

Another crash of thunder shook the castle. The little boy jumped three feet and did a nervous dance. The sandy haired apprentice rolled over in his bed, letting his younger brother climb in next to him.

Markl was about to celebrated his 13th birthday.

It was a big event for an apprentice because it would mark his first trip into the otherworld and usher him through his first steps into real wizardhood. He was so excited he could have spit! Over the last few days the aunts descended on the castle to help Sophie with the plans for the party, sending poor Calcifer up the flue in terror. They had planned a big party for the family.

Howl had insisted that it be a grand affair, with fireworks of all sizes and colors. His master knew that Markl loved fireworks, and it made him warm in his heart to know that his foster father cared for him. They could have had a single layer cake with no candles and frosting and Markl would have been ecstatic as long as he knew Howl was proud of him.

Markl felt Akershan, or Shan as the family called him for short, cuddle up into the small of his back and pull the covers over his head. Another flash of lightening brightened his room. His younger brother had celebrated his sixth birthday not more than a couple of weeks ago. He was still finding blue streamers and little star decorations on the exterior of the Castle as he practiced his flying.

Markl turned his thoughts to his mother again. Although she tried her best to keep it a secret, Sophie was always melancholy around Akarshan's birthday. He knew it was because of the little sister that he had never known. They didn't talk about what happened six years ago, but the blond apprentice remembered vividly and was sure that so too did his mother. The silver witch dreamed strongly as of recent, probably of her lost child. Markl would often find her sitting in front of Calcifer with red rimmed eyes early in the morning.

“You want to come to the village with me today, Shan?”

Markl asked all of a sudden. His little brother threw back the covers and regarded him with wide excited eyes.

“Really? Can we go by Cesari's and ask for cakes from Auntie Lettie?”

“You'll get your fill of cake tomorrow! You're going to rot your teeth with all those sweats, Shan,” his big brother replied. He grinned and began to tickle the little boy mercilessly.

Markl had been jealous of Akarshan at first; both Howl and Sophie were extremely protective of him. His master spoiled his son rotten with toys and treats; the two were almost carbon copies of one another in both looks and manners. Sophie doted like any mother would, but took a more level headed approach to childrearing.

However, the witch and wizard did not ignore or exclude Markl as he had feared. If anything his silver haired mother grew more attached to him and spent more time fussing over his hair and the state of his clothes. At times it was infuriating and Markl wanted to object to her constant mothering; but he was uncharacteristically perceptive for a boy of his age. He understood her need to be busy. Between she and Granny witch the family was well clothed and socked.

However, Sophie was not shackled by her domestic role as the mother of the castle. She was a tremendously powerful sorceress, and people from all over the country sought the help of his parents for breaking curses, casting magic and general enchantment counseling. Theirs was a booming business, but one by appointment only. One time a haughty courtier had tried to force his way into the castle. Sophie, in an uncharacteristic fit of rage, had turned him completely yellow from head to toe and expelled him from their shop with a boot to his rear. Customers now came with timid reverence. Markl and Sophie took care of the majority of business; Howl often spent much of his time between worlds guarding the balance.

His master had always been friendly, but Howl showed his strong affection for his apprentice by taking his education very seriously. Uncle Barimus often came by to work with him as well. Between his master and the red wizard, Markl knew more about magic than almost all of the snooty wizard's apprentices at the royal academy.

Markl heard their parent's door open and shut with a click and listened to the light steps of his mother as she descended the stairs.

“Mommy's up!” Shan cried with delight as the two forgot their previous tickling match. The little boy leaped from the bed, storm forgotten and Markl heaved a weary sigh as loud feet pounded through the castle. There was no use trying to sleep anymore, and the sandy-haired apprentice envied his master, who could sleep through anything.

Grumbling, Markl rolled out of bed and got dressed. As he came down the stairs into the kitchen, he paused at the landing to watch his family. No matter how many moves they went through, the kitchen of the flying castle stayed relatively the same. Calcifer smoked cheerily in the fireplace as his mother fried bacon and eggs in a large skillet. Markl thought his mother was the most beautiful woman in the world; even prettier than Aunt Lettie. Even more beautifully than the freckled girl with the curly red hair that helped Aunt Martha with her herbalist shop.

He watched Sophie straightened and smile as she caught sight of him. She had grown her hair long again and it fell down her back in a tight braid.

“Good morning,” Cal piped from under the pan.

“Here's the birthday boy!” His mother beamed, looking like nothing was wrong. But Markl could see the dark circles under her eyes.

“My birthday isn't till tomorrow, Sophie,” Markl replied as he came forward. Over the past few years the ginger haired boy had grown exponentially and was almost as tall as Howl's shoulder. That made him bigger than Sophie, and he had to lean over to down to kiss his mother on the cheek.

“What's for breakfast?” He asked absently.

“Bacon, eggs, and pancakes. Would you like something else?” She asked in her infuriatingly doting way.

“Nope, I like bacon,” Markl replied as he retreated. He grinned suddenly and teased Shan by scooting him with his hip along the bench that had long since replaced the kitchen table's chairs. The little boy giggled and did his best to fight back by clinging to the seat, but size won over determination this time.

“The aunts will be here today to help with the party preparations about noon,” Sophie informed him as she cracked eggs into the pancake batter.

“Is uncle Barimus coming too?” Shan asked in excitement and almost bounced in place.

“Not today, no,” Sophie replied as she poured the batter into the bacon grease, “The council is dealing with a series of magic construction projects today. But he will be here tomorrow.”

“Sophie, I was going to go by the bookseller's shop in Market Chipping today. Can I bring Shan?”

Sophie paused, a worried look tightening her features. The silver witch was very hesitant about letting her young son go out without her. She had only taken him to Kingsbury once in the six years since his birth.

She flatly refused to let any of them wander alone, much to Markl's chagrin. Mostly because he would have loved to hang about in Martha's shop and attempt to gather enough courage to chat up Theresa. Plus there were far more bookshops in Kingsbury. Sophie and Howl often had gentle words behind closed doors over the fact that his master thought she was sheltering the boys too much. But Howl very rarely contradicted anything his wife asked. For a moment, his mother looked like she was going to say no.

“As long as you keep him with you at all times and if you promise to be home by noon.”

“Yay! Visit to the village, visit to the village,” Shan sang joyously as he clapped his hands and squirmed with all the energy of a six year old.

“I wish he could tone it down a bit in the morning,” Cal popped and sighed under the frying pan.

“Oh, what an energetic little boy,” Granny witch murmured as she hobbled from behind her curtain and sat in her rocking chair by the fire.

Heen crept out after her, irritation plain in his sideways stare at the little raven-haired boy. The castle needed no alarm clock since the Shan had learned to speak; morning and breakfast was often heralded by the little boy's voice. Markl was considering regretting his offer when a door overhead opened and Howl came downstairs with light brisk steps.

“Good morning everyone!” He called in his carefree way as he swung over the landing and paused at the foot of the stairs. Like every morning he gazed at them with delight in his eyes and hands on his hips. Unlike Sophie, Howl almost never changed; his long blue black hair fell to his shoulders and he retained his bangs.

“Papa! Shan called in delight and bounded over to tackle the raven haired wizard.

“Fly me, papa! Fly, me,” Shan demanded with wide blue eyes as he held up his arms and hopped in place.

“Oof! Good morning to you too, Shan,” Howl laughed.

He hoisted the little boy into the air belly down on the palm of his hand. The wizard held out his son as though he weighed nothing and spun him in a circle. Markl felt a surge of hot envy for a moment as he observed the kinship between his little brother and his master. They were same; although, one had managed to shrink in the wash.

“No flying until after breakfast,” Sophie commanded with sparkling eyes full of love, “Set the table would you boys?”

Howl and his sons complied, passing out plates and silverware by way of hand and not magic. They knew how much Sophie deplored the use of magic for frivolous things like making breakfast. His master cast a furtive glance at his wife's turned back and made a cross-eyed grin at Markl as he conjured the tea cups from the top shelf with a wiggle of his finger. Shan clamped his hand over his mouth to keep from giggling.

“I saw that,” Sophie spoke ominously as she flipped a pancake, her back to the brood. Turning, she began doling out pancakes, eggs, and bacon like an experienced card player. She brought a plate to Granny Witch, who was having difficulty getting around recently. Going to Calcifer, the silver haired woman spooned a full serving of breakfast into the greedy fire's maw. He oinked and mumbled happily as he chewed.

“Big brother and I are going to Chipping Village today!” Shan announced around a mouthful of pancakes as Sophie tucked into the table beside her youngest son.

“Don't talk with your mouth full, Akarshan. You're getting syrup all over your shirt,” Sophie muttered as she mopped at the little boy's face with her apron.

“I thought the Aunts were coming by today to help decorate for the party,” Howl spoke evenly over his tea cup.

“Sophie said it was alright as long as we came home by noon, Master Howl. I finished my book last night and I wanted to see if there was anything new in the village.”

“Sophie's word is law in this castle,” Howl grinned at his wife, who rolled her eyes, “Would you mind picking up some things from the apocathary for Calcifer's fireworks?”

“Why bother!? I'll be dead by the time they get home if that ogress has anything to say about it,” Cal snapped and crackled petulantly in the grate. He and Martha did not get along at all.

“Do you need anything from the village, Sophie?” Markl asked as he cleaned his plate and wiped his face on his napkin.

“No, the Aunts are bringing everything I need,” she cast an eye at a multicolored mobile of glass and wire that hung over the door. It was the weathervane that Markl had made for his mother for the mid-winter holiday. It spun and chimed under her eyes and a blue-grey piece of glass drooped below the others.

“Both of you take your coats; it might be raining in that part of Ingary.”

“I hate rain,” Calcifer grumbled as he snapped and popped and squirmed down into the kitchen ashes.

 

xXx

 

Market Chipping never changed. It had persevered war, daemons, famine and the worst winter recorded in history. After each tragedy the little town bustled back to life under the industrious hands of its villagers. The Hatter family had rebuilt its storefront after the war and Grandmother Honey still held business there in spite of the fact that she didn't need the money. Howl and Sophie had set up one of the doorways in the courtyard as their portal into the village. It was here that the young apprentice emerged with his little brother in tow.

“Do you think Grandma Honey is home?” Shan asked with such seriousness that Markl had to laugh.

“You know as well as I do that the hat shop isn't open in the mornings. Besides, you'll see her tomorrow, Shan.”

Markl led his little brother through the side gate and into the twisting streets of Market Chipping. The little apprentice swelled with pride as rain clouds gathered on the wastes above town. His weathervane had worked like a charm. Villagers bustled and hustled about in the windy spring weather, going about their errands and chores with cheery hellos.

They made their stop at the apocathary's first, and Markl kept a close eye on his brother as the tottering old man handed him a series of wax packets. After their finished their errands, the two boys paused on the fringes of the town square as Markl leaned down to tie Akarshan's shoe.

“You're old enough to do this yourself, Shan,” the elder boy grumbled.

“I can't do it! I try, big brother, but it never ties right,” the little boy cried defensibly, sniffing dramatically as though he would burst into tears right there.

“Can the waterworks. I'll teach you how when we get home,” Markl straightened and ruffled his brother's hair.

They popped into Cesari's for a moment. The pretty dark haired concierge at the front desk recognized them and smiled rosily as she waved them in. Markl turned red as a beet under her curious scrutiny. The two of them skirted the walls of the busy café as waiters weaved about in a grand ballet of silver platters and crystal china while serving fancily dressed customers.

In the kitchen Lettie strode about like a military general, shouting orders and tasting products as she drove her restaurant like a well oiled machine. Tilly, their blonde aunt's eldest daughter, had been displaced from her mother's hip by another tow-headed baby girl who regarded them with wide blue eyes. Their cousin waved at them as they approached, attracting her mother's attention.

“Look, mama, cousins Markl and Shan are here!” She called. The little girl was dressed exactly like her mother in a tiny Cesari's uniform, all pink taffeta and white ruffles.

“Hello boys! Aunt Lettie grinned as she kissed them both. The blond woman had to stand on her tip-toes to reach Markl's cheek.

“My you've grown, Markl. Is Mrs. Fairfax still feeding your magic honey?” She turned her eyes to her eldest sister's youngest child, eyes flashing with humor.

“So, little piglet, you've come to raid my kitchen before the party, have you?”

“Do you have any chocolate éclairs, Auntie?” Shan asked, his eyes bright with greed.

“Brother! You just had breakfast!” Markl cried in dismay but Lettie threw her head back and laughed.

“Tilly, take Shan and go see if your father has any fresh treats, okay? You may have one as well.”

“Goodie!” The little girl squealed and grabbed her cousin's hand, dragging him off through the kitchen at breakneck speed. Markl was about to object and insist on following them when Lettie barred his way with a great wooden spoon.

“They'll be fine, Markl. You can stand to let him out of your sight for a moment even if Sophie can't. Now! What kind of cake do you want for your party?”

Markl almost rolled his eyes, beginning to tire of being treated like a little boy, but indulged his aunt none the less. She fed him samples of cake and frosting until he felt like he was going to burst. Finally he settled on a combination of fresh peaches, vanilla icing, and dark chocolate cake.

“Tell your mother when you get home that we'll be a bit late. Martha isn't feeling well today, but she's determined to come.”

Lettie's look of exasperation over her sister's obstinacy melted into a sly sideways glance as she regarded the ginger-haired boy.

“Oh, by the way, she'll be bringing that freckled redhead I catch you staring at all the time to the party tomorrow.”

Markl turned beet red once more and ducked his head as his Aunt chuckled at him knowingly. Tilly came wandering back, her face and hands covered in chocolate. The sandy-haired apprentice's bashful smiled melted into a frown as he cast his eyes about for his younger brother. Akarshan, however, was no where to be seen.

“Tilly, where's Shan?” He asked the little girl, his deepening voice cracked and sounded foreign to his ears.

“Dunno. He went to play with some other kids in the pastry shop.”

“I'm sure he's fine, Markl. Tell me more about Theresa,” Lettie smiled, wanting to gossip more with her sister's eldest son. But a cold tickle passed through the young wizard's mind. How long had he been standing here gabbing? How long had Shan been gone? All at once he took off at once in search of his younger brother.

 

xXx

 

Shan didn't get to play with kids his own age very often. Tilly was a lot of fun, but she never wanted to do anything really fun, like play in the mud or climb trees. When he suggested that they go play outside with the group of kids they met in the pastry store, she looked at him like he had asked her to swallow a toad.

“I'll get dirty!” She cried and shook her head resolutely.

“Fine! You're no fun anyway,” He snapped moodily and chased off after a group of boys his own age as they poured out of the store.

What began as a game of tag became hide-and-go-seek. Giggling gleefully, Shan tore off down an alleyway in search of a good place to hide. The alleyway turned and twisted, splitting into many other back ways and soon the fun of the game began to wear off as the little boy realized he was lost. His fear turned to panic as he called his friend's names desperately, but to no avail. Realizing his plight, Akershan plopped down on the back stairs of a shop and began to cry hopelessly.

“Why are you crying?” A small voice asked from behind him and Shan shot to his feet, turning to see a little girl his own age standing in the doorway. She had short silver hair and blue eyes.

“I'm lost!” He sniffed sullenly and began to cry again.

“Don't worry. I'll help you. If you can come live with me, okay?”

Shan paused in his crying and sniffed again up at the girl. She leaned over and smiled encouragingly at him and the little boy no longer felt sad.

“What's your name?” He asked as he wiped his eyes on his sleeve.

“Deidrie, but Mrs. Danna calls me Drie. What's yours?”

“My name's Akarshan, but mama and papa call me Shan.”

Drie sat down on the step next to him and swung her feet as she stared off into the alley.

“Oh… you have a mama and papa already. Then you probably don't need to come and live with me.”

“Isn't Mrs. Danna your mother?”

“No,” Drie replied sadly, “But she takes care of me. I don't know who my parents are. I lost them a long time ago and Mrs. Danna tells me not to talk about it.”

“I lost my big brother, Markl. He and I went to visit my Auntie at Cesari's. She's the cook there and lets me eat chocolate éclairs!”

“Wow, really? Mrs. Danna never lets me have sweets,” Drie sent a careful look over her shoulder and she whispered to Shan conspiratorially, “She says that they're a sinful indulgence and she says that greed daemons will eat my soul if I'm not careful.”

“That's silly! Papa says that daemons can only get you if you let them.”

“Your papa knows about daemons!? Wow! Mrs. Dana knows a lot about magic, but she's terrified of daemons,” Drie's eyes went large as she peered through her fingers at the raven-haired little boy, who puffed with pride.

“Yup! Papa and my mommy are powerful wizards. So is my big brother. I bet he's looking for me, right now. Mommy will be angry with me and him if I stay lost for too long.”

Akarshan stood and looked back the way he came but Drie took hold of the hem of his coat.

“Don't go just yet,” Drie cried then shrank shyly, “I'm so lonely, I don't have any friends. We just came here from very far away”

“I'll be your friend, Drie,” Shan smiled at her sunnily.

“Really!? I've never had a friend before,” she beamed up at him as the little boy sat down once more.

“Who is this, Drie?” A cold voice spoke from behind them and both children shot to their feet, staring up at the thin woman who loomed in the doorway.

“Oh! Mrs. Danna, this is my friend. He was lost and I found him crying on the back step,” Drie explained timidly under the woman's hard stare.

“I was not crying!” Shan stated resolutely.

Looking up at the thin woman, Shan decided immediately that he did not like Mrs. Danna. He got a squirrelly cold feeling inside that made him fidgety like when he told a lie. The tall woman was dressed in a long green dress; although she was old and had a lot of sad and angry wrinkles, she was still pretty in a way. Her hair was peppered with grey, but not at all like the silver color of his mother's hair. Which he realized at that moment was the same color as Drie's hair.

She would probably be a lot nicer if she smiled, but instead she stared at him in the same way Auntie Martha had when he put a bug in her tea.

“Go inside, child,” was her chilly reply and the little girl hesitated for a moment, casting her eyes at Shan before she disappeared through the doorway. Akershan fidgeted under the intense grey of her eyes.

“What is your name, child?”

“Peter,” Shan lied, and was glad that he had not told her his name.

“So you've lost your way? Perhaps you should come inside.” Her voice was ominous. Her grey eyes flashed brightly sending a chill of fear into Shan as he began backing down the stairs.

“No, I'm not lost. I should be going now.” Shan replied quickly as the woman took a step forward. At that same moment Markl came tearing around a corner and caught sight of the black haired little boy.

“There you are! I've been looking all over for you.” Markl's face was alive with anger as he strode forward and scooped up his brother, “We're going home right this minute, you hear me? Oh!”

Markl caught sight of the woman in the doorway and a look of shocked recognition passed over his face. The tall woman regarded them both stonily as though she were deciding what to do. The young wizard's apprentice took a step backward, consternation plain on his face. Mrs. Danna gave them a veiled look then turned and closed the door behind her.

“Markl!”

Shan cried and was about to rush into a full description of recent events when his older brother clamped a hand over his mouth. Turning, he hurried away with his brother in his arms and did not speak a word until they were standing in the courtyard of the Hatter's shop. Markl drew a circle on the sandy ground and stepped inside, setting his brother down. A fey look brought his brown eyes to life and the mark glowed for a moment.

“Alright, it's safe to talk now; what the devil just happened!?”

The little boy told his story truthfully from beginning to end and Shan had never seen Markl so angry.

“Don't talk to anyone about this until I tell you so,” His brother shook him to punctuate how strongly he felt, “Promise me you will never go back to that place, Akarshan!”

“You're scaring me, Markl.”

“Promise!”

“I promise, big brother,” And the sandy haired apprentice hugged his brother roughly, then stood and led him through the portal.

 

xXx

 

They got home an hour late and came into the castle to find the kitchen in absolute chaos.

Lettie and Martha were leading red and blue streamers around the living room as Mrs. Fairfax and Grandmother Honey gossiped over the great cake they were icing. Markl noted the green color that crept into the complexion of his youngest aunt and worried for her. She had never fully recovered from the curse that had almost taken her life.

Markl had an uncanny ability to hear everything that was said in the castle, and about a year after Shan was born he overheard Mrs. Fairfax and Sophie late one night. He overheard the old herbalist say that Martha had suffered some scarring that would prevent her from ever having children. Markl knew that this would spell trouble for the Council at a later time. But the witches and wizard respected the red wizard too much to raise any objections now.

Perhaps that was why Uncle Barimus seemed to shy away from the castle, rarely visiting. Akarshan was too vivid a reminder of what he had lost. However, Martha had no such qualms, and loved her little nephew with open affection. The aunts made playful swipes at the children as they scampered around the castle. Markl caught sight of Calcifer peering from the flue for a moment before he disappeared again.

Sophie was too busy with the lists of guest to scold them properly, but the look she shot them belied the fact that their tardy return had not gone unnoticed. Shan immediately went out into the garden to play with Tilly.

Markl caught sight of movement and saw Howl beckoning him from halfway down the stairs. The young wizard skirted the rampaging woman and met up with his master, who surveyed the living room with good-natured humor.

“Shall we accept defeat and plan a humble retreat?” Howl asked playfully, his blue eyes sparkling.

The two went through one of the magic doorways along the upstairs corridor, which would expand at will to expose many additional rooms as needed. The wizard and his apprentice disappeared up a winding circular stair case that led to a workshop framed on all sides by huge windows. The afternoon sun blazed in one side and out the other as the flying castle sailed through the sky, slicing through the fluffy white clouds that filled the heavens as they sailed lazily into the beyond.

The kitchen had once acted as their workshop, but that was before Sophie had become part of their lives. Now, since their family had grown, Howl and his apprentice made good use of the room at the top of the castle. Tables covered in metal contraptions and large bubbling system of tubes and colored liquid gave the shop the feeling of a mad scientist's laboratory.

But magic lived here as much as technology. A powerful enchanted circle was painted onto the floor in the middle of the room; this is where Howl taught Markl more dangerous magic that did not reside lazily in the pages of dusty tomes. Here the young wizard learned to fly and burst into fire through words of power.

“I have a surprise, Markl!” His master beamed at him as he reached into his pocket and held out a small package, “Think of it as an early birthday present. Every wizard should have a good pair of talismans, even if he is still an apprentice.”

The ginger haired boy opened the box, exposing the pair of purple earrings that looked very similar to the ones that he had seen almost every witch and wizard wear at one time or another.

“Thank you, master Howl!” Markl quickly clipped them on and felt the thrill of magic within them.

“I had them made in Kingsbury just for you. You're growing up quicker than I had imagined,” Howl leaned on a hulking pile of steel as he gazed at his apprentice with hooded eyes from beneath his thick black bangs. He continued after a moment, “Are you excited about your first trip into the otherworld?”

“Yes! But, I'm also a little afraid,” Markl fiddled with his earrings as he once again stared out the window, deep in thought.

“Barimus and I will both be with you. There's no need to worry. I made my first trip into the beyond alone and half trained and I survived just fine.”

“Master Howl, can I talk to you about something?” Markl spoke up, drawing Howl to attention sharply.

The young wizard told his master about everything that he had seen earlier that day. About the little girl with the silver hair that Akarshan had talked to and the fear his brother felt at the cold woman's presence. Howl listened intently, his face falling into a composed mask he had seen his master wear so many times before when he was upset.

The family never once talked about the girl twin that had passed away in the difficult birth following the banishing of the curse from Martha. Shan had no idea he was a twin or that he had lost a sister. He remembered acutely how much pain his master had felt over the loss of his daughter and still felt today. He hesitated for a moment and then began to describe what he had seen over Mrs. Fairfax's shoulder on that night.

“It was her, the healer with the cold eyes. There's something not right with her, something menacing. I saw her carrying something away that night, I swear it Master Howl! I swear I heard a baby's cry…”

“Enough Markl!” Howl's livid voice cut through his apprentice's heated words. His master's eyes disappeared under his bangs and the great wizard again seemed to crumble inward under the weight of his sorrow. Markl despaired at once for trying to broach the topic.

“I'm sorry, Master Howl. I didn't mean to upset you,” he replied in distress.

But Howl had retreated once more behind the handsome mask with the rigid smile. Standing he waved it off, although his eyes were still pinched and his well mannered voice was brittle as he spoke.

“It's quite alright. Forgive me, Markl; I did not mean to snap at you. Thank you for telling me about what you saw, but I would appreciate it if you would remember that we do not dwell on the past in this castle. Also, I must ask you not to talk about this with Sophie. Everything is fine Markl; it's your birthday tomorrow and you should be having a good time.”

The tall man paused as he passed his apprentice. Howl turned and placed his hands on the young man's shoulders, smiling genuinely at him.

“You have made me very proud, Markl. No father could ask for more from his son,” He spoke in a gentle voice and ruffled his hair before he flew from the room.

Markl stood there for a while. He should have been elated at the close moment he and his master had shared. But for some reason he felt the distance between them all the more keenly. The magic within him railed against his attempts to dismiss what he had seen.

Everything was anything but fine.